For the first time, Ukrainian universities have made it into a respected international ranking of the world’s best universities.
QS World University Rankings has placed Donetsk National University and National Technical University of Ukraine, better known as Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, in the top 700 universities out of 2,919 universities.
While the rankings beyond number 300 are yet to be officially released and while Ukraine’s precise rankings remain a closely-guarded secret, the Kyiv Post has learned that Ukraine’s two high achievers are among 18 new entries from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Zoya Zaitseva, QS regional director for Central and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia, is pleased that Ukraine has finally “broken the ice.”
“Being in the top 4 percent of the world universities is not too bad after all,” Zaitseva says, referring to the fact the top 700 universities are chosen out of an estimated 20,000 universities worldwide. “Better than not being anywhere at all.”
Moscow State University remains the best performing institute in Central and Eastern Europe, although this year it fell outside the top 100 for the first time. Cambridge University in the United Kingdom sealed top spot for the second consecutive year.
The rankings are based on the world’s largest sample size, including input from companies, professors and academic experts.
Ukraine’s strong results are largely due to the positive student/professor ratio. However, the other criteria reveal ongoing weaknesses within Ukraine’s educational institutions: “the level of internationalization of the student body,” “the level of internationalization of the faculty,” “citation index,” “reputation with employers” and “academic reputation” still hinder higher rankings.
“We are happy that we’ve broken through the blockade,” says Sergei Shukaey, head of the foreign projects department at KPI. “Our rector set the goal, so we gained it.”
The historical absence of Ukrainian universities from the global survey has more to do with the lack of participation rather than an indicator of quality, according to QS. “We ran into a complete disregard for invitations to participate and provide data,” Zaitseva says, “despite the fact that the whole project is absolutely non-commercial.”
QS hopes that more Ukrainian universities will participate in the survey in coming years, which could further boost the country’s global standing.
The full list of QS’ top 700 universities will be released on their website on Sept. 12. (http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings).
Kyiv Post staff writer Will Fitzgibbon can be reached at [email protected]. Tetyana Monakhova contributed to this report.
